Medical Treatment

If a larger ventricular septal defect is causing symptoms, your child's health care provider may prescribe medication.

• Which medication is prescribed depends on the severity of symptoms.



• The goal of therapy is to reduce the symptoms of congestive heart failure, such as poor growth and development, weight loss and/or poor weight gain, excessive sweating, and fast breathing. An older patient typically develops fluid in the lungs, liver, and legs.



• If serious infections and/or dental work is needed, antibiotics are needed to prevent the infection from spreading to the VSD, ie infectious endocarditis, which is potentially fatal.